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Delta to expand next generation of in-flight Wi-Fi to more than 600 aircraft

Courtesy: Delta Air Lines.

Delta will continue fueling customers with the fastest connectivity experience in the sky by increasing its commitment to 2Ku, Gogo’s industry-leading in-flight Wi-Fi technology, by at least 350 aircraft. This brings Delta’s total 2Ku commitment to more than 600 aircraft in its mainline fleet.

2Ku is next-generation technology that provides consistent, uninterrupted coverage nearly anywhere in the world, including over oceans. Installation of 2Ku will offer customers faster speeds and bandwidth more than 20 times that of Gogo’s ATG technology, allowing for video streaming functionality. This summer, customers will be able to use Wi-Fi and in-flight entertainment from taxi and takeoff through landing on 2Ku-enabled aircraft. In late 2016, Delta will launch IPTV, giving customers the ability to watch live TV from their own devices on 2Ku-enabled aircraft.

“Delta customers have expressed an interest in their time in the air being as productive as their time on the ground, and 2Ku satellite offers a vastly upgraded in-flight Wi-Fi experience,” said Tim Mapes, Delta’s Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. “By committing to more aircraft with 2Ku technology, we’re providing Delta customers with faster and more reliable in-flight connectivity as a part of Delta’s commitment to always delivering the industry’s best on-board services.”

“With 2Ku, Delta will be able to deliver the best inflight experience to its passengers wherever they fly around the world,” said Jon Cobin, Gogo’s Executive Vice President, Global Airline Business Group. “We know how important it is to Delta to bring this technology to passengers and we plan on getting it deployed on these aircraft as soon as possible.”

2Ku installation has already started on Delta’s Boeing 737-800 and Airbus A319 fleets, and additional fleets will be retrofitted with the new system. By the end of 2016, Delta will operate more than 35 aircraft with 2Ku, which offers reduced drag and fuel burn compared to other Wi-Fi systems. 2Ku is next-generation technology that uses dual Ku-band satellite antennas – one receiver for the upward link to the aircraft, and the other for the downward, return link to the ground.

Delta has completed installation of Ku-band satellite Wi-Fi on nearly all of its wide-body international fleet – including Boeing 747, 767, 777 and Airbus A330 aircraft as well as Boeing 757 aircraft operating on long-haul routes – and will be 100 percent complete by September 2016. 2Ku service will be offered on Airbus A330-900Neo and A350-900 aircraft when they enter Delta’s fleet in 2019 and 2017, respectively.

Delta operates the world’s largest Wi-Fi-equipped fleet, with more than 3,500 connected flights daily, including its entire fleet of 660 domestic mainline aircraft. More than 1,000 Delta aircraft, including nearly all Delta Connection two-class regional jets and 99 percent of its long-haul international fleet are equipped with in-flight Wi-Fi service, offering access to more than 370,000 customers per day.